TV times for the arts

Arts Council England (ACE) and the BBC Academy have launched a ‘digital skills sharing initiative’, to help arts and broadcasting professionals swap expertise, research and new ideas. Dame Liz Forgan, Chair of ACE, announced the new partnership at The Media Festival Arts at the Roundhouse earlier this month. She told delegates that “our partnership with the BBC is about working together to maximise the public value of the arts… and to help arts organisations broaden their skills”. Mark Thompson, Director General of the BBC, acknowledged that the two organisations need to knock heads together as “arts organisations are increasingly using digital media to create and distribute content to the public that otherwise wouldn’t be seen”. Funding for the partnership is yet to be disclosed, but ACE expect to exploit the specific knowledge that the BBC has to offer for the broader cultural sector. An ACE spokesperson told AP that “we want to work closely with the arts community to set up the first aspects of the initiatives, making sure it is as relevant as possible for organisations”. By the end of 2010, workshops and masterclasses will be held where artists, arts organisations and broadcasters can identify the opportunities that digital technology presents, share best practice and sharpen the skills needed across the sector.